Steven Gerrard warns that Rangers would be making ‘huge, huge mistake’ if they sell now

Steven Gerrard believes Rangers would be making a “huge mistake” if they accepted bids for any of their key players this month.
Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has warned that selling key players in January would be a big mistake. Picture: Bill Murray / SNSRangers manager Steven Gerrard has warned that selling key players in January would be a big mistake. Picture: Bill Murray / SNS
Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has warned that selling key players in January would be a big mistake. Picture: Bill Murray / SNS

With two weeks of the January transfer window remaining, the Ibrox club have yet to receive firm offers for any of the most prominent performers in Gerrard’s title-chasing squad.

Left-back Borna Barisic, central defender Connor Goldson, midfielder Glen Kamara and striker Alfredo Morelos have all been strongly linked with moves to clubs in England and Europe but while Gerrard accepts that every player has his price, he insists any high profile departures before the 31 January deadline would seriously threaten his ambitions to win silverware in the second half of the season.

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The Rangers manager is content that view is supported by chairman Dave King and all of the other key executive figures at the club.

“It doesn’t make any sense at all for anyone connected with Rangers if we were to cash in one of our assets right now,” said Gerrard.

“Will it happen in the future? Possibly. We all understand the situation and what happens. Sometimes bids can’t be turned down. I respect and understand that.

“But it would be a huge, huge mistake if we did that now — or in the next couple of weeks.”

Gerrard will continue to reduce the overall size of his first team squad with midfielder Greg Docherty and winger Jamie Murphy, both of whom have struggled to secure game time this season, poised to join Sunderland and Burton Albion on loan respectively.

“We haven’t had a bid in black and white for any of our players so far in the window,” added Gerrard.

“Will that happen from now until the end? Possibly, I don’t know, I wouldn’t like to predict it.

“We don’t want any of our best players to go. There will be players around the squad who will go out on loan, any day now.

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“But in terms of selling any of our assets, any of our top players, that won’t be happening.

“The important thing is we’re all on the same page. Dave King, the board, [managing director] Stewart Robertson, [sporting director] Ross Wilson, myself, my staff, even the players themselves — we’re all on the same page in terms of where we’re trying to take this and what we want. We want to keep all our best players, that’s for sure.”

Gerrard is confident that Croatian international Barisic, attracting interest from Roma, can be persuaded to extend his commitment to Rangers.

“We’ve opened up contract negotiations with Borna and his representatives,” he said.

“That’s bubbling away and I think that shows our intent and how much we want to keep the player. I think the player’s really happy here.”